Re: Adopting a plural

Andreas Johansson wrote:
> Quoting Joe <joe@...>:

>>>On theory of the origin of Swedish _dator_ "computer" is that it's a
>>>singularized Swedish-style plural of _data_, used as a short form of
>>>_datamaskin_ ("data machine"). Other sources claim it's from Latin _dator_
>>>"giver" (of processed data, presumably).
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Well, since Norwegian for Computer is 'Datamaskin', the former would
>>make sense to me.
>
>
> In case it wasn't clear, _datamaskin_ used to be a normal word for the things.
> Sounds decidedly archaic, these days, tho. I've actually heard _data_ for
> "computer", too.
I hate that!  _Data_ is what you process with the machine, while
the machine itself is _dator_.  The latter is clearly a pseudo-
latinism, tho obviously some people understand it as a plural
of _data_. <sigh>

And Taliesin answered Joe:
>>Well, since Norwegian for Computer is 'Datamaskin', the former would
>>> make sense to me.
>
>
> Actually, a recent development is to call 'em just "data"... yech! That
> is: m. sing. definite "dataen", I still haven't heard an indefinite or a
> plural, but still..
Typical of my countrymen to export their idiocies to our neighbors.
No wonder we have a bad rep! <dbl sigh>

--

/BP 8^)
--
Benct Philip Jonsson -- melroch at melroch dot se

         Solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant!
                                             (Tacitus)

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